The fifteenth Sir Richard Fairey memorial lecture: The quieter airport☆

Abstract Aircraft noise as a social problem arrived less than a quarter of a century ago with the jets and has been a significant factor in airport planning and the development of air transport ever since. This paper explains how the industry has responded, with the introduction of operating techniques, and how Governments have introduced controls, both designed to mitigate the effects of aircraft noise as far as possible, for people living near major airports. It shows that considerable success has been achieved and expresses the belief that as a result the worst is passed. The author also demonstrates that there are two sides to airport operations, noise nuisance, the main effects of which are confined to a relatively small area around the airport, is more than balanced by the economic benefits deriving from its operation. These are enjoyed within the immediate environs of the airport and spread widely to the region in which it is located and ultimately to the nation as a whole.